Summer's Stunning Star Blooming Wildly: Joanna Gaines' Preferred Summer Flower
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Joanna freakin' Gaines ain't no amateur when it comes to planting stunning gardens. We've been jaw-dropped by her creative layout plans, from the flowers she chooses to the jaw-dropping raised beds. Even her Herbarium at the Silos is dedicated to her new favorite hobby - flower pressing. She's clearly smitten with her blooms, and this year, she'sdeclaring a new favorite flower, one she never imagined growing.
"Another variety I never planted before took me by surprise: the Fata Morgana scabiosa," Gaines wrote in a blog post on Magnolia. "In contrast to the Fama, the Fata Morgana grew wildly and produced the most beautiful buttercream petals. Unplanned and unexpected, this simple-to-grow perennial became my absolute favorite bloom of the season."
All About Fata Morgana Scabiosa
The Fata Morgana features round, cream-colored blooms with tiny circular petals, towering above a background of bright green, spiky leaves. It adds variety and depth to gardens and raised beds, making your backyard a little more whimsical and magical.
Gaines' Plans for Her Future Garden
That untamed feel is something Gaines wants to bring more of in her future gardens, and growing this flower helped her realize it.
"Knowing I want to bring a more wild and whimsical look to our landscaping around the farm, I sketched out this idea for a secret-garden-style meadow in the pasture by the bees," Gaines said. "For now, it's just a seed of a dream, but it's always fun to imagine out-of-the-box ideas when it comes to the garden."
Tall-growing and charming florals like Fata Morgana are perfect picks for gardens that need a breath of fresh air. These flowers are easy to grow and won't get out of hand, but they still add an enchanting forest feel that can make your garden look less rigid.
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Caring for Fata Morgana
If Gaines' love for Fata Morgana has you considering growing it in your own backyard, she has a few tips for you. First, she suggests giving your plants plenty of sun and keeping the soil moist. She also recommends using compost tea as a fertilizer every other week and pruning mature blooms to encourage new growth.
On her blog, Gaines also mentioned she plans to incorporate a trellis for her Fata Morgana next year to give them more support, something you might want to try yourself if you have extra space in your garden beds.
Our Favorite Lessons from Gaines' Garden
"Over time, I've learned to let the garden grow into my own personal testing ground, a controlled space where I can experiment and risk, where I can cultivate new possibilities-plants and flowers, yes, but also ways of being that don't come so naturally to me. Here, I can nurture spontaneity. I can practice surrender," Gaines wrote.
We couldn't agree more: A garden is a place to let fun, excitement, and creativity bloom. Plant what you love and learn to care for it, watching it grow and flourish. We'll certainly be taking these lessons into our own gardens this season and beyond.
Gaines' blog post is a story featured in the Summer 2025 Magnolia Journal. Purchase this season's full issue to read all about her garden, learn about the best places to river float this season, and see what the Gaines family is cooking up in their kitchen.
Martha Stewart Shares Her #1 Piece of Gardening Advice
- The Fata Morgana scabiosa, now Joanna Gaines' favorite bloom, adds a whimsical touch to gardens and raised beds with its round, cream-colored blooms and spiky leaves.
- In an attempt to create a wilder and more enchanting garden, Joanna Gaines has sketched out plans for a secret-garden-style meadow, as she found inspiration in the growth of Fata Morgana.
- As more and more people are diving into gardening trends, a blog post on Magnolia offers valuable advice for growing Fata Morgana, from providing ample sun and keeping soil moist to using compost tea as a fertilizer and incorporating a trellis for support.
